Improvement in pole and thill couplings



UNi-TED STATES I-I..Ii. TAYLOR, OF FREDONIA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENTlJN POLE AND THILL. COU'PLI'NGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,62] dated February13, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. L. TAYLOR, of Fredonia,in the county ofChautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Thill and Pole Couplings; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved coupling attachedto a section of the axle of a carriage. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical section of the same; Fig. 3, a plan of the follower-block Kdetached.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

It is the object of my improvement to pro' duce a coupling for attachinga pole or thills to vehicles that shall be noiseless and readilyuncoupled when it is required to change or remove the pole or thills;and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of thepeculiar devices hereinafter described, by which the above isaccomplished.

In the drawings, A represents a portion of a carriage-axle to which oneof my couplings is attached in an ordinary manner by means of theclip-plates b b and connecting-bar and nuts c d d.

E and e are parts of the upper bar of the clip, bent backward so as toform a loop or hook; F, one of the bars attached to the thills or pole,having at its end the two lugs or ears h h, connected by the bolt g,forming an eye, which is engaged with the clip by hooking the same overthe end e, so that it will rest in the position shown.

i', Fig. 2. is a metallic washer or bearing formed to iit against thebolt from the rear; j, a piece of india-rubber or other elastic ma.terial, which acts as a spring to keep the Washer i pressed against thebolt g by being compressed by means of the follower-block K. This blockis constructed with flanges l l, that overlap the edges of E and e so asto retain the former in place. Thin portions m m, Fig. 3, of the sameextend forward so as to inclose and shield the spring or rubber j at itssides. (Shown in Fig. 2 by dotted lines.) It is also provided with ahole, fn, made vertically, of sufficient size to admit the introductionot' key to receive the block K, as also represented in the same figure.

The bar E is extended backward, forming a projection, q, provided with ahole, r, for a purpose presently to be described.

S is a lever provided with the point tand spur u, as represented in redlines, by which the compression of the rubber spring j is effected inthe manner following: After the parts ,j, and K have been successivelyinserted in place the point t of the lever is introduced in hole r, whenby pressing forward the same the projection u forces the block Kinward,compressing the rubber j, so as to allow the key o to be inserted orremoved, as shown in red lines, Fig. 2. The key being inserted, thelever is removed, when the partial recoil or reaction of the spring jpresses the block back into the notch p of the key, thereby firmlysecuring the latter in place, while the rubber still continues to pressthe washer t' against the bolt g, so as to effectually prevent anyvibration or rattling of the same.

When it is required to uncouple the device for changing the thills orother purposes, it may be readily accomplished by again pressing forwardthe head K out of the notch p, when the key is removed and the partseasily detached.

' The advantages of my improvement are, first, the safety and securitywhich it occasions by its non-liability or the impossibility of itsbecoming accidentally uncoupled and the thills detached; second, theperfect and permanent prevention of all noise arising from vibration bythe constant pressure of the rubber spring against the bolt; third, theprotection which is afforded by the sides m m, preventing anydisplacement of the rubberandobviating the necessity of readjustment;fourth, preventing the disintegration of the rubber packing by removingit from. contact with the bolt g or other moving part of thedevice;`

fifth, the ease and rapidity with which the uncoupling is effected.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

, 1. The combination of the hook E e and draft-bolt g with thefollower-block K, indiarubber spring j, or its equivalent, Washer fi,and self-,looking key o, arranged and opereting in the manner and fortbe purpose shown and described.

2. Constructing the block K with the lips Z Z and cheeks fm, m, incombination with the hook E e and rubber j,' substantially in the mannerand for the purposes described.

3. The employment of the lever S, provided with the hook t and spur u,in combination with the extension q and hole fr, for `inserting; andremoving the key ofsubstentially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my neme in tlie presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

H. L. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

JAY Hmmm, LYMAN P. PERKINS.

